Norman Generating Station

Norman Generating Station

The Norman Generating Station is a five-unit hydroelectric station located on the Winnipeg River at the outlet of Lake of the Woods in the town of Kenora.

The dam was constructed in 1898 and the powerhouse completed in 1926. The station has an installed capacity of 10 MW at a head of 6.4 metres.

The station is a run-of-river plant. Operation pertaining to levels and flows are prescribed by the Lake of the Woods Control Board (LWCB) under the guidance of the International Joint Commission. The LWCB determines and communicates the required discharge through Kenora and Norman GS in accordance with its mandate. The station is not subject to minimum flow constraints.

Each unit is provided with two head gates, which are operated by a common overhead crane. There are two discrete spillways, one on either side of the powerhouse. The south spillway consists of eleven bays of stop logs, while the north spillway consists of nine bays of stop logs. H2O Power spillway has a dedicated hydraulic log lifter. When the total discharge of Lake of the Woods exceed 450 m3/s (including Norman GS and Kenora GS), tail water levels rise and net head is reduced, with corresponding reduction in station production. The head pond operates between the minimum elevation of 322.2 metres and maximum elevation of 323.5 metres.

Norman is connected to the existing Hydro One 115kV circuit K2M and connects to Rabbit Lake TS.